The Institutes of Akbar 337: XIII. Commanders of One Thousand.
The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 337
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XIII. Commanders of One Thousand.
337.1
107. Muhibb ’Alí Khán, son of Mír Khalífah. This grandee must not be confounded with Muhibb Alí Khán Rohtásí (p. 422). Muhibb ’Alí Khán is the son of Mír Niẓámuddín ’Alí Khalífah, the “pillar of Bábar's government.” He had no faith in Humáyún, and was opposed to his accession. He therefore favoured Mahdí Khwájah, Bábar’s son-in-law. Mahdí, a short time before Bábar’s death, assumed a royal deportment. One day, Mír Khalífah happened to be in Mahdí’s tent; and when he left, Mahdí, thinking himself alone, put his hand to his beard, and exclaimed, “‘Thou shalt by and by follow me.” He had scarcely uttered these words, when he observed Muqím i Harawí in the corner of the tent. Muqím reported these words to Mír Khalífah, and upbraided him for giving Mahdí his support. Mír Khalífah thereupon changed his mind, forbade people to visit Mahdí, and raised, on Bábar’s death, Humáyún to the throne.
337.2
His son Muhibb ’Alí Khán distinguished himself under Bábar and Humáyún. His wife was Náhíd Begum, daughter of Qásim Kokah. Qásim had sacrificed himself for Bábar. Bábar had fallen into the hands of ’Abdullah Khán Uzbak, when Qásim stepped forward and said that he was Bábar. He was cut to pieces, and Bábar escaped. In 975, Náhíd Begum went to T’hat’hah, to see her mother, Hájí Begum (daughter of Mírzá Muqím, son of Mírzá Zul-nún). After Qásim Kokah’s death, Hájí Begum married Mírzá Ḥasan, and after him, Mírzá ’Ísá Tarkhán, king of Sindh (p. 362). Before Náhíd Begum reached T’hat’hah, Mírzá ’Ísá died. His successor, Mírzá Báqí ill-treated Hájí Begum and her daughter. Hájí Begum therefore collected a few desperate men and watched for an opportunity to get hold of M. Báqí’s person. The plot was, however, discovered, and Hájí Begum was put into prison. Náhíd Begum escaped and went to Bhakkar, where she was well received by Sultán Maḥmúd, ruler of the District. He persuaded her to ask Akbar to send her husband Muhibb ’Alí to Bhakkar ; and he would give him an army, if he liked to attack T’hat’hah. Nahid Begum did so on coming to court, and Akbar, in the 16th year (978), called for Muhibb, who had then retired from court-life, and ordered him to proceed to Bhakkar.
337.3
Muhibb set out, accompanied by Mujahid Khan, a son of his daughter. Sa’id Khan (No. 25), Governor of Multan, had also received orders to assist Muhibb; but at Sultan Mahmud’s request, Muhibb came alone, accompanied by only a few hundred troopers. When he arrived at Bhakkar, Sultan Mahmud said that he had changed his mind: he might go and attack T’hat’hah without his assistance ; but he should do so from Jaisalmir, and not from Bhakkar. Muhibb, though he had only 200 troopers, resolved to punish Sultan Mahmud for his treachery, and prepared himself to attack Bhakkar. Mahmud had 10000 horse assembled near Fort Math’ilah (متهیله), Muhibb attacked them, dispersed them, and took soon after the fort itself. He then fitted out a larger corps, and moved to Bhakkar, where he again defeated Mahmud. The consequence of this victory was, that Mubarak Khan, Sultan Mahmud’s vazir, left his master and went with 1500 horse over to Muhibb. But as Mubarak’s son, Beg Oghli, was accused of having had criminal intercourse with a concubine of Sultan Mahmud, Muhibb wished to kill Beg Oghli. Mubarak, who had not expected this, now tried to get out of Muhibb’s power. Muhibb therefore killed Mubarak, and used the money which fell into his hands, to complete his preparations for the siege of Bhakkar.
337.4
The siege had lasted three years, when famine and disease drove the inhabitants to despair. The swelling which is peculiar to the district, decimated the people ; and the bark of the Sirs tree (p. 228), the best remedy for it, could only be had for gold. Sultan Mahmud, at last, sent a message to Akbar, and offered the fort as a present to Prince Salim, if Muhibb were recalled, and another grandee sent in his stead, who was to take him (Mahmud) to court ; for he said, he could not trust Muhibb. Akbar accepted the proposal, and sent Mir Gesu, Bakawal-begi, to Bhakkar. Before Mir Gesu arrived, Sultan Mahmud had died. New complications arose on his arrival. Mujahid Khan just besieged Fort Ganjabah, and his mother Sami’ah Begum (Muhibb’s daughter) who felt offended at Akbar’s proceedings, despatched a few ships against Mir Gesu, and nearly captured him. In the meantime Muqim i Harawi also arrived and dissuaded Muhibb from hostilities against Mir Gesu. The latter now entered Bhakkar (981), and the inhabitants handed the keys over to him.
337.5
But neither Muhibb nor Mujahid felt inclined to leave for the Court, though their stay was fraught with danger. Muhibb therefore entered into an agreement with Mir Gesu, according to which Mujahid should be allowed to go to T’hat’hah, and that he himself with his whole family should be accommodated in Lohari. The arrangement had been partially carried out, when Mir Gesu despatched a flotilla after Mujahid. Muhibb upon this withdrew to Mat’hilah. Sami’ah Begum fortified the environs, and when attacked by Gesu’s men, she successfully repulsed them for one day and one night. Next day, Mujáhid arrived in forced marches, defeated the enemy, and occupied the land east of the river. In the meantime, Akbar had sent Muhammad Tarsun Khan (No. 32) as governor to Bhakkar, and Muhibb thought it now wise to go to Court. In the 21st year, Muhibb received an appointment at Court, as a sort of Mír ’Arz. As he gave the emperor satisfaction, Akbar, in the 23rd year, allowed him to choose one of four appointments, the office of Mír ’Arz, the guard of the Harem, the governorship of a distant province, or the governorship of Dihlí. Muhibb chose the last, and entered at once upon his office. He died as Governor of Dihlí in 989. Muhibb is placed in the Tabaqát among the Commanders of Four Thousand.
337.6
Regarding the town of Bhakkar, Abulfazl says that it is called in old books Mansúrah. Six rivers united pass by it in several branches; two branches lie to the south, one to the north. The town at the latter branch is called Bhakkar. On the second branch another town lies, called Loharí, and near it is the Indus. Mírzá Sháh Husain Arghún, king of T’hat’hah, had Bhakkar fortified, and appointed as Commander his foster-brother Sultán Mahmúd. After Sháh Husain’s death, Sultán Mahmúd declared himself independent at Bhakkar, and Mírzá ’Ísá Tarkhán (p. 362) at T’hat’hah. Both were often at war with each other. Sultán Mahmúd is said to have been a cruel man. As Bhakkar was conquered and annexed before T’hat’hah, it was attached to the Cúbah of Multán.